July 2010
Didcot is the main railway centre in the Thames Valley area. As well as the Great Western Society depot there is much for those interested in current railway operations. Two train operating companies provide passenger services.
First Great Western operate HSTs, Turbo units and class 57/6s. All regular locomotive haulage has ceased apart from the night sleepers, which use the class 57/6s. Express services using HSTs . The HST refurbishment program is complete.
Cross Country services are diagrammed for Voyager and Super Voyager units. This franchise is now operated by Arriva. For more information see http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk.
DB Schenker (formally English, Welsh and Scottish Railway) operates Didcot yard. The bottom corner of Didcot yard abuts the station. Locomotives are stabled in the yard and adjacent to the station. Didcot has an 08 shunter again. This is 08711, which sports the old parcel sector livery. Class 66s dominate most freight. Class 59s may appear on Appleford or Oxford Banbury road stone trains. These usually run via the west curve, but morning workings from the Mendips may run via Reading West. DB Schenker have carried out a major reorganisation of wagonload freight, with Didcot replacing Wembley as a major hub. A highlight is the 07:15 Didcot to Bletchley four wheeled tanks train, which returns at 17:25. Didcot A power station has now shut until the Autumn and consequently coal trains have ceased, until it restarts. 67s frequently appear on charters and empty stock workings.
Freightliner work intermodal, and various aggregate trains, as well as the Avon binliner through Didcot using class 66 locomotives. The newly reopened Bristol Freightliner Terminal provides a daily return working to and from either Tilbury or Thames Port. The eastbound working passes Didcot at 13:10
There are no longer any regular workings by GB Rail Freight through Didcot or Reading. Freightliner have taken over the working which took old sleepers from Fairwater Yard to Peterborough. Contrary to earlier reports the spoil from Imberhorne cutting on the Bluebell Railway is being taken to Forders, rather than Appleford.
Network Rail test trains appear from time to time. The HST is a regular visitor. Less regular are class 31s and the class 950 track assessment unit.
Fastline have ceased trading. All locomotives are in store.
Colas Rail no longer have any regular workings through Didcot.
Reading is a town with major junction railway junctions. Reading station is on the Great Western main line between Paddington and Bristol/South Wales. Reading station is the junction where the lines to Basingstoke and Cornwall lines diverge through Reading West and split to the south of the town, at Southcote Junction. There is also a west curve to enable trains to and from Didcot to take the Basingstoke line.
Also at Reading the former Southern Railway lines to Waterloo and Guildford head off in an easterly direction splitting at Wokingham. Three train operating companies provide services. First Great Western and Cross Country operation is similar to Didcot, but with more First Great Western workings. The maintenance depot in Reading services the First Great Western Turbos. Two car units can be seen on services to Newbury and Basingstoke and also on the various branch lines between Reading and London.
South West Trains provide services to and from Waterloo. Class 458 units are usually used.
Oxford has similar traffic to that of Didcot. The only regular traffic found at Oxford, which is not found at Didcot is the Stud Yard to Hinksey Yard ballast trains. Hinksey yard has an 08 shunter. This has recently changed to 08633.
The bridges at the London end (Dunsomer Hill) and middle of Moreton Cutting have now reopened. They were being replaced as part of the gauge enhancement. The bad news is that the bridges have a parapet of about two metres so a step ladder is now essential for photographs. On the plus side there is a pavement for your ladder at the Dunsomer Hill bridge. The middle bridge being a bridleway has no need for a pavement.
Princes Risborough: A single car class 121 unit 121020 (55020) is used on peak hour services (07:00 to 09:30 and 16:00 to 19:00) to Aylesbury Monday to Friday. Other passenger services use Chiltern Railways class 165 or 168 multiple units. Open access company Wrexham and Shropshire run between Wrexham and Marylebone The trains comprise a driving vehicle trailer (DVT), four coaches and a EWS class 67. Further coaches in Wrexham and Shropshire livery have been delivered, but at the time of writing it is believed that two complete sets are in service. DVT 83202 is in Chiltern Blue livery, ahead of locomotive hauled Chiltern services to Birmingham commence in December.
See www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk for more information.
Deliveries of the new S stock for London Transport have commenced. These train are operated by GB Rail Freight using unbranded class 20s hired from Direct Rail Services. They run as required from Asfordby Test Centre to Amersham via Banbury and reverse at Princes Risborough to take the Aylesbury line. The trains (Code 8X09) are booked to arrive at Princes Risborough at 23:06 and depart at 23:12.
A few regular freights pass through. Daytime workings are shown below. Please note the times at Princess Risborough are not official times, but from observation.
Information and photographs provided by David Evans-Roberts Thames Valley Web Correspondent. If you spot any errors or have information about new services please email me.
last updated: 11/08/10
